Providence fall in Manitoba college soccer final
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This article was published 01/11/2024 (192 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Providence Pilots women’s soccer team had a case of deja vu last week, losing the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) final 2-1 to Brandon University, the exact same score as the 2023 final.
The Pilots had the perfect chance to tie the game late in the second half, with a Bobcats player whistled for a hand ball in the box. While the initial penalty was stopped by Josie Black, the rebound fell to the foot of exactly who Providence would want it to — MCAC player of the year Ava Temple.
A magical comeback was not to be, as Temple’s shot and the Pilots’ chances of winning flew over the crossbar.
Brandon took the lead just 10 minutes into the game with a penalty of their own, with Keashae Masters doubling the defending champions’ lead in the first half.
The college’s men’s team were felled in the provincial semi-final to Brandon. Undefeated St Boniface nabbed a 1-0 win in the final.
The Providence soccer season is not over despite the losses, as they’re set to compete in the National Christian Colleges Athletic Association (NCCAA) North Region championships Nov 11 – Nov 13 in Saint Bonifacius, Minn. The Pilots will have a chance to advance to the NCCAA national championship, which is hosted in Florida.
The college’s women’s team won the division 2 championships in 2022.
In advance of the championships, MCAC announced the player of the year and all-conference award, with Providence players earning recognition.
Temple was named the women’s player of the year, with Joel Umeh the men’s. It was an outstanding season for the senior, who led a strong Providence defense which only allowed five goals in the regular season. Temple chipped in with five goals of her own.
Serena Negrich and Laurianne Chiasson joined Temple on the MCAC women’s all-conference team.
While Temple was recognized for her goal-line to goal-line play, Umeh’s case was all about the goals. The Calgary product scored 13 goals in 12 regular season games, only playing in four games without finding the back of the net.
Karan Bhangu was also named to the all-conference team.